A beautiful Winter Day
by Floppster
Summary: This is the story of the last day in the life of Runa's mother Lilly. This is a oneshot in my Predator Supremacy AU.


**Years before the events of Good,Bad and everything in between  
** _This is the story of Runa's mother_

It was a cool winter morning in Deerbroke County, and for most mammals it was just like any other.

The snow covered most of the mountains and even the land around them, small frozen rivers wiggled through the land like glistening snakes made of crystal. Many mammals would have described the view around the countryside as a true winter wonderland. There was smoke from the chimneys of most houses and everyone was enjoying a world made of pristine snow.

Even the rabbits of Burrow 23 were enjoying the free time that the winter gave to all of them.

Except for two certain litters of Rabbits that had a very special problem. It was their 25th birthday.

Lily like most of her litter mates was a mother. She had four litters with her husband that had been culled five years ago. Now it was her time. It was comforting to know that she would not be without her litter mates though. In retrospective, life had not always been kind to them. But Lilly knew that the good parts of life are justified by the bad, that was what her mother had taught her. And so it was no surprise that she and her litter mates had fought every now and then. That they had all done things that they at the end of it all regretted, but that did not really matter since funnily enough the memories that did come to mind this morning were not those of her and Laverne flirting with the same buck when they were teenagers and not speaking to each other for two whole years when Lily had won him over. But rather stories like when Lily had been sick two years ago and when Laverne had not only looked after her but after Lily's kits as well.

It was this kind of thinking that made Lily realize just how right her mother had been. And it reminded her that her hardest task was still ahead of her. She had used the last two days to say goodbye to her older litters and given them tasks. Like to look after the smaller ones and told Jack and Jane not to fight with each other anymore since she would not be there to mediate between them once they did.

It made her heart feel like lead. And yet she knew that this was the way it had to be.

And yet the fact that she still had to talk to her youngest kits was...devastating to her.

She knew what would happen and she knew that it would break what was left of her heart.

So she readied herself for it and went into their room.

Like everyday she was greeted by a swarm of happy little rabbits,"Hello Mommy!", "Did you sleep well? I slept well!", "Mommy can we go out and play in the snow today?" , "Yes I want to do what Richard said"

In the end they were all talking at the same time but with the ears of a skilled mother she picked up everything that her kits had said.

"Listen everyone!",she said her voice almost breaking by the end of the sentence. She managed not to cry though and she was proud of that. Until Runa ruined it, "Mommy? Are you okay?"

Tears welled up in Lilly's eyes. Runa had always been perceptive. And her other children chimed in "Mommy why are you crying?", "Mommy are you hurt?", "Mommy if you are hurt then I will cry as well." And surely enough Rita started crying as well. The fact that her children were so worried for her warmed her heart in a way that only a mother could understand. She loved all of them so very very much. And the fact that she was loved back was, overwhelming all the sadness.

She pulled her kits into a hug, "I am so sorry my sweet kits. I love all of you so very very much. To the sacred stars and back. And no matter what happens I want you to know that I will become a star and that no matter what you do or what happens to you. I will always be watching you from the skies above and I hope you will find solace in my presence whenever you look upon the evening sky."

Now all of her kits started crying and she pulled them even tighter towards her chest.

"M..m..mommy has her 25th birthday today. And today is a very special day since when we rabbits turn 25 we become food for the predators. Such is the will of nature.", she sniffled and her voice was barely holding up but she continued,"but just because I need to go does not mean that you are alone. I..I want you to know that even if I am not there that I will always love you. But even if you cannot see the night sky and see me. I want you to know that you are not alone. You have each other and every other rabbit in the burrow. We are all one big family and while you won't always get along, family is the most important thing in the world. That is why you have to forgive and apologize. Because no matter what happens rabbits stick together."

There was no answer from her kits. They were just crying all together in her arms.

She had no idea how long she stayed there, together with her kits. But at some point a guard came.

It was a red fox sporting the normal blue guard uniform put a paw on her shoulder, "Are you L225?"

She nodded numbly.

The fox said, "I am sorry but your time is up you need to come with me."

She knew that he was right. And she knew that she had to go.

So she kissed each of her kits on the forehead and said "I will miss you all so much because I love you more than anything in the world."

When the fox lead her away she could hear the voices of her kits as they cried her name and asked for her to stay.

She knew that it was cruel, but she also knew that it was the way that it was supposed to be. She knew that one day they would understand.

She was brought towards a truck that was waiting at the entrance of the burrow. All her litter mates were there and Friedas litter as well. They all took off their orange jumpsuits and were guided into the truck. The inside was matted with hay. And once all of them were inside the back of the truck was closed and it suddenly was pitch dark. Normally this situation would have made most of them uncomfortable but at this point they all knew that it did not matter anymore. And they all huddled together for comfort. They were going to be culled after all.

She really tried not to think about it. And her mind strayed back towards her kits. There was so much left to teach them. So much left to see. So much things that she regretted not telling them. And yet in the end. She knew that they would be alright, they were her kits after all. And they had Steven's genes as well, even though she did not really know whether that should be considered a blessing or a curse.

She could not help but smile, she wondered if she would be able to find Steven among the many stars in the sky. And she did not worry about the black fox at all, she knew she was the fastest runner in the litter after all.

 **About 2 hours later**

When the doors opened it blinded most of them. They had never been over the borders of their Farm so when her eyes had adjusted to the blinding light of the snowy day she saw the factory around them. It was a huge building with big chimneys.

Two wolves stood outside of the truck in a loading bay and connected the loading bay to the truck with a ramp. Once this was done they ordered them to come over.

And so they did. The wolves lead them inside the building where they were greeted with a white room that seemed too sterile.

At the end of the room there was a door.

Now they were ordered to form lines based on their numbers. Lilly did not know whether to be glad that she was the forth kit in her litter or whether she should be terrified.

In the end it was a little bit of both. Her litter went first and their number were called.

First her brother Leon, then her sister Laverne, then her Brother Lucas and then after what felt like an eternity it was her turn.

She walked slowly towards the door at the end of the room and her heart was beating faster and faster in her chest.

This was it!

This was the end.

One of the wolves opened the door before her and she went inside.

The inside of the room was just like the room before but different.

Her heart almost stopped. There were hooks on the ceiling the corpses of her siblings hung from them, now they were dead meat. She wanted to throw up when she saw their blood covered bodies. They had been gutted and their organs had been removed, they were only empty shells.

Before covered in blood was another wolf. And all she could do was stare in fear. What was going to happen?

She had no idea, would he gut her open while she as still alive?

Would it hurt?

He came closer and she noticed a baton in his paw, that looked almost like the ones the farm guards used. She held her breath when he was standing in front of her. A towering predator. Every muscle in his body a means to her end. One strike on the head and it was all over. She was knocked out and she did not even feel the knife that slowly opened up her stomach and chest and neither did she feel the wolf rip out her intestines with his bare paws.


End file.
